The New York Rangers are set to face the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden on Thursday evening, marking the end of a back-to-back series. The game is scheduled for 7:00 PM ET and will be broadcast on MSG and ESPN 880 AM radio.
The Rangers will play two of their next three games at home before the Olympic break. Currently, they lead the NHL in hits with 1,416 and are seventh in blocked shots with 818. They have recorded more than 30 hits in 20 games this season, which is the highest among all teams.
New York’s faceoff win percentage stands at 54.4%, ranking third in the league. In 13 games this season, they have achieved a faceoff win rate of at least 60%, which is the second most among all teams. Since December 23, the Rangers also lead the league with a power play success rate of 31%. Their eight combined overtime and shootout wins are tied for tenth most in the NHL.
Rangers rookies have contributed significantly with 27 assists and a total of 41 points so far this season. The team’s defensemen have scored 24 goals, placing them twelfth among NHL teams.
There are several connections between players and coaches from both teams. Joe Sacco, currently an assistant coach for the Rangers, played parts of two seasons for the Islanders from 1997 to 1999. Carson Soucy, now an Islanders defenseman, spent parts of two seasons with the Rangers between 2024 and 2026, recording eleven points in forty-six games. Anthony Duclair was drafted by the Rangers in 2013 and played one season with them during the 2014-15 campaign. Tony DeAngelo played four seasons as a defenseman for New York from 2017 to 2021.
Mika Zibanejad has been a key player for New York recently. He has scored points in consecutive games (one goal and one assist) and has registered at least one point in twelve out of his last thirteen appearances (ten goals and eleven assists). During that period, his ten goals are tied for fifth most in the league while his twenty-one points rank sixth. This season he leads his team in goals (22) and power play goals (10), while ranking second in overall points (50), assists (28), and faceoff wins (370).
On January 28th, Zibanejad tied Andy Bathgate for fifth place on New York’s all-time goals list after scoring his two hundred seventy-second goal as a Ranger during a power play opportunity. That same goal allowed him to surpass Mark Messier for fourth place on New York’s all-time power play points list with two hundred thirty-three points. With six hundred thirty-nine career points as a Ranger—seventh most in franchise history—and three hundred sixty-seven assists—ninth most—he joins only three other players who have posted nine twenty-goal seasons with New York.
Zibanejad also set a franchise record for most power play goals on January seventeenth and became “the first active player to lead an Original Six franchise in power play goals.” Among Swedish players throughout NHL history, his one hundred thirty career power play goals rank fifth; his three hundred thirty-six career goals rank eighth among Swedes—all-time—and he is just one away from tying sixth place.
This year alone he has opened scoring eight times—the highest mark among NHL skaters—and has fifty-nine career game-opening goals as a Ranger (tied for second-most). His thirty-eight game-winning goals rank seventh within franchise records. Zibanejad has achieved two hat tricks this season—nine overall as a Ranger—which ties him atop that category within team history; he is also one of eight current NHL players with multiple hat tricks this year.
J.T. Miller enters Thursday’s contest having tallied points across back-to-back games (one goal and one assist) while notching at least one point in six out of seven recent matches (three goals and seven assists). Over those contests he leads New York with seven assists and ten total points; this season Miller ranks third on his team both in goals scored (14) and faceoff wins (354), sits third again in total points (34), fourth overall in hits delivered (94), while setting personal bests including three overtime winners—a figure tied for second-highest league-wide.
For skaters taking five hundred or more faceoffs this year Miller’s sixty-point-three percent win rate places him third across all NHL participants; since last season began he remains third-best among those taking over one thousand draws.
Vincent Trocheck continues to contribute offensively having posted at least one point during four out of six recent outings—all assists—while ranking fourth on New York’s roster both by total points accumulated this year (33) as well as assists made (22); he stands fifth by number of goals scored so far (11). Among forwards league-wide Trocheck averages nearly twenty-one minutes per game—the twelfth highest such average currently recorded.
Trocheck’s fifty-eight percent lifetime faceoff success rate ranks second amongst any Ranger who has taken five hundred or more draws; since last year began he holds fifth position league-wide by percentage won amongst high-volume participants—with over twelve-hundred eighty-seven victories placing him fourth-most during that span.
Will Cuylle leads all Rangers players by number of hits delivered so far this campaign—one hundred eighty-seven—a tally tied for third-most throughout hockey; additionally Cuylle shares second place within his squad by number of power-play markers netted thus far while standing fourth overall by total number scored outright—twelve—with team results showing ten wins against just one loss whenever Cuylle finds twine during regulation or overtime periods.
Since last year started Cuylle’s four-hundred eighty-eight hits are third-most across all active skaters.
